Welcome to the second installment of Flavorpill’s Definitive Guide to Halloween Movies! As we proved with last week’s kid-friendly film picks, a movie doesn’t necessarily have to be scary in order to get you in the mood for Halloween. In that spirit, find 10 of the best campy Halloween flicks we could find after the jump. If we happen to have missed one of your all-time favorites, feel free to add to our list in the comments.
Army of Darkness (1992) Tagline: “Sound the trumpets, Raise the drawbridge, and drop the Oldsmobile” Why we like it: When Sam Raimi released Evil Dead, he didn’t intend for it to be funny. But by the third film in the series, he’d finally embraced the humor inherent in his work.
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958) Tagline: “A titanic beauty spreads a macabre wave of horror! A terrifying masterpiece of shock and chills! ” Why we like it: Thanks to an alien encounter, an abused wife grows to be 50-feet tall. And she wants revenge. Thank you, Bernard Woolner.
Blacula (1972) Tagline: Blacula! – Dracula’s Soul Brother! Why we like it: It’s a classic blaxploitation film — but with vampires.
The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) Tagline: “Who says Vampires are no laughing matter?” Why we like it: This one stars a young Roman Polanski (who is surprisingly good at physical comedy), as one of the vampire killers. It also features one of the more incredible gay vampires we’ve ever encountered (apologies to Russell and Talbot) and Sharon Tate.
House on Haunted Hill (1959) Tagline: “Consult your doctor! Bring your seat belts!” Why we like it: Vincent Price plays Frederick Loren, an eccentric millionaire who pays five people $10,000 to spend the night in his home. Per usual, he completely hams it up in every scene that he’s in.
I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) Tagline: “Explosive! Amazing! Terrifying! You won’t believe your eyes!” Why we like it: Michael Landon plays a troubled teen on the highway to hell who is turned into a werewolf thanks to his evil hypnotherapist.
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1958) Tagline: “Aliens Resurrecting The Dead! Flying Saucers Over Hollywood!” Why we like it: The storyline — angry aliens try to resurrect the dead in a California cemetery to create an army of zombies and vampires — is classic Ed Wood.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) Tagline: “Action-packed… lotsa larfs & sex… gorgeous gals… thrills & chills… Transylvanian parties… romance” Why we like it: At this point you could argue that the “Time Warp” dance is part of our shared DNA.
Suspiria (1977) Tagline: “The only thing more terrifying than the last five minutes of this film are the first 90!” Why we like it: The plot is, in a word, fantastic: A young woman arrives at a European ballet school only to discover that it’s secretly home to a coven of evil witches. Plus, stunning camera work by director Dario Argento.
Swamp Thing (1982) Tagline: “Science transformed him into a monster. Love changed him even more!” Why we like it: The script is awful, but Wes Craven makes this one fun (and funny!) to watch.